Foes on council seek Lafourche Parish president's resignation

The recent civility of Lafourche Parish Council meetings may again turn sour as political foes of Parish President Charlotte Randolph seek her resignation.

Xerxes WilsonStaff Writer

The recent civility of Lafourche Parish Council meetings may again turn sour as political foes of Parish President Charlotte Randolph seek her resignation. A resolution that has no legal force has been filed by members of the Parish Council who want the parish's top executive to step down after she was fined in March for an ethics violation. Randolph, who did not respond Friday to multiple requests for comment, was ordered to pay $50,000 she received from renting her Grand Isle camp to BP in the wake of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. She was also assessed a $10,000 fine under state law that prohibits a public servant from receiving compensation from anyone the parish has contractual ties to. Councilmen Jerry Jones, Daniel Lorraine and Jerry Lafont filed the resolution that asks Randolph to step down.“It is the right thing to do. When you do wrong, pay for it,” Lorraine said. “The fine is nothing as far as I am concerned. She has to be held accountable for the decision she made (as president) ... she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar.” Council meetings last year included councilmen shoving each other after a meeting, rampant personal smears and regular helpings of hostility dished out each time the council convened.This year had started to seem as if the council had called a cease fire on insults and barbs lobbed across the council chambers, but the resolution could rekindle the fire. “I think that is way over the top. This all goes back to personal vendettas,” said Councilman John Arnold, who added he feels the resolution was crafted to embarrass Randolph. Last year, relations soured between Jones and Randolph as Jones lead the effort that ultimately resulted in voters firing Randolph's second in command and personal friend, Parish Administrator Crystal Chiasson. Randolph accused Jones of having a personal vendetta. “We are not trying to embarrass her,” Jones said. “She did that (BP deal) for herself. So do not pass the buck.” Though the councilmen insist their intent is not to embarrass Randolph, the unfriendly history between certain councilmen and Randolph typically comes up. “Too many times I got crucified personally by Randolph for 5-4 votes, saying I am embarrassing the parish,” Lorraine said Friday. “Who is embarrassing now?”Lafont, the other co-sponsor of the resolution, couldn't be reached Friday for comment.Because Randolph's violation is ethical and not criminal, the council cannot get rid of Randolph, Lafourche Parish District Attorney Cam Morvant said last week. “They can't take any action to remove her or impede any of her duties,” Morvant said.It is unclear if the resolution will even pass the council as multiple councilmen disagree with the effort. “She doesn't have criminal charges. I just think it is just a vendetta that they have against Charlotte,” said Council Chairman Lindel Toups. “Charlotte and I don't see eye to eye all the time, but I don't agree with this.”Councilman Aaron Caillouet noted the issue with the ethics charges is still not completely settled, so the council should not be involved.Randolph has not indicated if she will file an appeal but has the right to challenge the penalty in court. “I didn't elect her, (the council) didn't elect her. She doesn't work for us, she works for the people,” Caillouet said, adding the voters must be involved in any removal effort. Randolph has argued no harm came from her dealings with BP. At a March 7 hearing on the violation in Baton Rouge, she said the disaster, not her personal dealings, led to the parish entering a contract with BP. She also argued her authority as parish president, even if wielded in return for rent money, has no bearing on BP's legal battles.“We further determine that the extraordinary circumstances involved do not excuse her conduct,” the ruling states in response.The council will debate the resolution at 5 p.m. April 9 in the Parish Council chambers at the Mathews Government Complex, 4876 La. 1.